Former Fire Station Four to be Replaced by a Mattress Store
One of the very few noteworthy structures on Wake Forest Road near the beltline is set to be razed. The 1960s era former Fire Station Four above will soon be replaced with a mattress store.
The old fire station is home to Oak City Coffee Roasters, and the company is having an open house on Saturday. If you’d like to see how coffee is roasted or just see the old fire station before it’s destroyed, now is your chance.
Fire Station Four in 1980. Courtesy Raleigh Public Affairs and Mike Legeros
Station Four History
The definitive source for any local Fire Department history is Mike Legeros. His blog and fire history pages are well worth a read for history and information on Raleigh and surrounding areas. He shares this bit of Fire Station Four history:
On April 12, 1963, the station was relocated to 2913 Wake Forest Road. The Jefferson Street station was sold and remains privately owned. The $63,000, two-bay, brick station was one of three fire stations opened in the spring of 1963. Located just north of the Six Forks Road intersection, the 3,984-square-foot facility included a sign and warning lights strung over Wake Forest Road. The first call from the new station was dryer fire at 815 E. Whitaker Mill Rd. dispatched at 12:17 p.m. Station 4 on Wake Forest Road also housed a tanker from 1968 to 1986, and a Battalion Chief from 1971 to 1975, and from 1977 to 1978.
— Mike Legeros
Inside Oak City Coffee Roasters
New Life as a Coffee Roasting Business
Oak City Coffee Roasters is currently in the former fire station, and is a unique business in this part of Raleigh. Supplying both retail and wholesale, it’s a local company that believes in making a difference for good, in addition to providing coffee:
We roast because we believe something.
We simply believe in changing the world. And in everything we do, we’re taking that idea as far as we can. That happens to result in great coffee. And we’re making this about everything coffee can be. It can be delicious, sure. There’s a perfect cup of coffee out there, and we’re after it. But we’re thinking bigger. Coffee is the world’s most shared connection. Can it be a medium for cultural exchange? For understanding? For compassion? For community and social development? Can it be about love and not money? We believe it can.
Raleigh is full of coffee lovers, and now we have our own coffee, freshly roasted here in town. We’re filling the air of Raleigh with the aroma of roasting coffee. We hope that puts a smile on every face. In this increasingly stressed out world, we’re doing our part to put love in the air.
If you’ve ever been curious about the roasting process or would like to meet a wonderful small local business, go to their open house event on Saturday:
We’ve been roasting coffee all year in the old Raleigh Fire Station on Wake Forest Rd. Its time to throw open the doors and invite Raleigh for an Open House. Just show up. All of Raleigh is invited! It’ll be an awesome venue for the night.
Parking is available next door at the car wash.
Saturday, December 29, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
It’s a shame this last bit of uniquity and history on this part of Wake Forest Road will be replaced by a bland building. It’s scheduled to be destroyed in January, so stop by on Saturday to check it out before it’s gone.
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12/30/2012
My first assignment was to Fire Station Four in 1974 as a newly hired Raleigh Fireman. I worked there only a short time, but I returned to station four in 1978 for several years of service. I have many fond memories of working there with my fire department family. It’s going to be sad to see the old station go.
12/30/2012
The best part of the “last chance” event we hosted on Saturday night at the Fire Station was seeing two former Raleigh Firemen stop by to have a last look around. Paul and Danny shared a few pranks and stories of working and living there.
We’ve been roasting coffee in the engine bays for the past year, and seeing this great building being torn down has given me resolve for one thing. My company will give something to Raleigh at least as cool and iconic as this old fire station, to make up for it’s loss. Keep watching…
12/31/2012
Thanks for your testimonials, Al and Billy. Growing up in Raleigh in the 1950-60s, Station #4 always seemed to me to be on the outskirts of town. Back then you could actually see the Crabtree Jones house from Wake Forest Rd.
12/31/2012
Here are some photos of the event, which was fun:
http://tinyurl.com/a46bndw
12/31/2012
Thanks for the link to the photos Mike. Wonder what ever happened to the raised aluminum letters across the facade of the building that spelled out “Fire Station Four”? This style of signage was common in Raleigh on modernist buildings in the 1950s and ’60s.